28:80 Al-Qasas (The Stories)

{ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ } الذين عرفوا حقائق الأشياء، ونظروا إلى باطن الدنيا، حين نظر أولئك إلى ظاهرها: { وَيْلَكُمْ } متوجعين مما تمنوا لأنفسهم، راثين لحالهم، منكرين لمقالهم: { ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ } العاجل، من لذة العبادة ومحبته، والإنابة إليه، والإقبال عليه. والآجل من الجنة وما فيها، مما تشتهيه الأنفس وتلذ الأعين { خَيْرٌ } من هذا الذي تمنيتم ورغبتم فيه، فهذه حقيقة الأمر، ولكن ما كل من يعلم ذلك يؤثر الأعلى على الأدنى، فما يُلَقَّى ذلك ويوفق له { إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ } الذين حبسوا أنفسهم على طاعة اللّه، وعن معصيته، وعلى أقداره المؤلمة، وصبروا على جواذب الدنيا وشهواتها، أن تشغلهم عن ربهم، وأن تحول بينهم وبين ما خلقوا له، فهؤلاء الذين يؤثرون ثواب اللّه على الدنيا الفانية.

"ويلكم ثواب الله خير لمن آمن وعمل صالحا" أي جزاء الله لعباده المؤمنين الصالحين في الدار الآخرة خير مما ترون. كما في الحديث الصحيح "يقول الله تعالى أعددت لعبادي الصالحين ما لا عين رأت ولا أذن سمعت ولا خطر على قلب بشر واقرءوا إن شئتم "فلا تعلم نفس ما أخفي لهم من قرة أعين جزاء بما كانوا يعملون" وقوله "ولا يلقاها إلا الصابرون" قال السدي ولا يلقى الجنة إلا الصابرون كأنه جعل ذلك من تمام كلام الذين أوتوا العلم قال ابن جرير ولا يلقى هذه الكلمة إلا الصابرون عن محبة الدنيا الراغبون في الدار الآخرة وكأنه جعل ذلك مقطوعا من كلام أولئك وجعله من كلام الله عز وجل وإخباره بذلك.

How Qarun went forth in His Finery, and His People's Comments

Allah tells us how Qarun went forth one day before his people with his magnificent regalia; wearing his fine clothes, accompanied by his fine horses, his servants and retinue. When those whose desires and inclinations were for the world saw his adornments and splendor, they wished that they could have the same as he had been given, and said:

يلَيْتَ لَنَا مِثْلَ مَآ أُوتِىَ قَـرُونُ إِنَّهُ لَذُو حَظٍّ عَظِيمٍ

(Ah, would that we had the like of what Qarun has been given! Verily, he is the owner of a great fortune.) meaning, `he is very lucky and has a great share in this world.' When the people of beneficial knowledge heard this, they said to them:

وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنْ ءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحاً

(Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for those who believe and do righteous deeds,) `Allah's reward to His believing, righteous servants in the Hereafter is better than what you see,' as is reported in the authentic Hadith:

«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى: أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لَا عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ وَلَا أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ وَلَا خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ وَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ:

فَلاَ تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّآ أُخْفِىَ لَهُم مِّن قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَآءً بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

(Allah has prepared for His righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the heart of a human cannot comprehend. Recite, if you wish: (No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.)) (32:17).

وَلاَ يُلَقَّاهَآ إِلاَّ الصَّـبِرُونَ

(and this none shall attain except the patient.) As-Suddi said: "None shall reach Paradise except for the patient" -- as if this were the completion of the statement made by the people of knowledge. Ibn Jarir said, "This applies only to those who patiently forsake the love of this world, seeking the Hereafter. It is as if this is part of what the people of knowledge said, but it is made part of the Words of Allah, stating this fact."

But those to whom knowledge had been given knowledge of what God had promised in the Hereafter said to them ‘Woe to you! waylakum is an expression of reprimand God’s reward of Paradise in the Hereafter is better for him who believes and acts righteously than what Korah has been given in this world; and none will obtain it namely the Paradise that is given as a reward except those who are steadfast’ in their adherence to obedience and refrain from disobedience.

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ (And said those who were given knowledge - 28:80). This verse has compared the knowledgeable persons with الَّذِينَ يُرِ‌يدُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (Those who are desirous of the worldly life - 28:79), which clearly indicates that it is not the trait of knowledgeable persons to aspire for the acquisition of wealth and to make it the object of life. They always keep their eyes toward the lasting benefits of the Hereafter. As for the mundane wealth, they take it only to fulfill their day-to-day needs, and stay content with that.